Frank spowg



F. SPONG.

DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1919.

1 27,574, Patented J an. 6, 1920.

33 //v VENTOR FHA NK SPONG 33 39 Arr vs.

UNITED STATESJETENT OFFICE.

FRANK SPONG, OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA.

I DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT.

menace.

Application filed June 17, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. FRANK SroNo, a c1t1- zen of the United States,residing at Glen- Improvements in Dirigible Headlights, of

which the following is a specification.

My object is to make an improved dirigible headlight especially for Fordautomobiles, and my invention consists of the novel features hereinshown, described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a Ford automobile front axleand showing a dirigible headlight embodying the principles of myinvention in use, the view being taken looking in the directionindicated by the arrow 1 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1 as seen lookingin the direction indicated by the arrow 2.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the lamp brackets asseen looking in the direction indicated by the arrows 3 in Figs. 2 and4, parts being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 3 and looking inthe direction indicated by the arrow.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail elevation of the lower end of thesteering post shaft crank and showing the connection of the dirigibleheadlight to the shaft, the view being taken looking in the directionindicated by the arrows 5 in Figs. 2 and 6.

Fig. 6 is a detail View partly in section and looking in the directionindicated by the arrow 6 in Fig. 5.

The lamp posts are usually rigidly mounted in the brackets 1 and 2extending outwardly from the radiator 3. I remove the rigid lamp postsand substitute the swinging brackets & and 5. The brackets 1 and 5 aresubstantially alike, and. in Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown. the details ofthe bracket 5.

The bracket 2 has a vertical opening 6, a spacing washer 7 fits upon thebracket 2, a brace plate 8 fits upon the washer 7 a second and longerbrace plate 9 fits upon the brace plate 8, the spacing washer 10 fitsupon the brace plate 9, the supporting arm 11 fits upon the brace plate9 loosely around the washer 10, the washer being thicker than the arm,the brace plate 12 fits upon the arm 11, the brace plate 13 fits uponthe brace plate 12, the bolt 14. is inserted downwardly through theparts 13, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7 and 2,

Specification of Letters Patent.

. pivot.

Patented J an. 6, 1920.

Serial No. 304,944.

and a nut 15 is placed upon the lower end of the bolt and drawn tight,and the arm 11 swings freely on the spacing washer 10 as a The braceplates 8 and 9 serve to support the arm 11, and the brace plates 12 and13 serve to hold the arm 11 down upon the plate 9.

The arm 11 has a downwardly and backwardly extending bend 16, adownwardly extending straight portion 17, a backwardly extending bend18, a downwardly extending bend 19, a backwardly extending bend 20, anda backwardly extending straight portion 21.

The brace 22 has a central opening fitting loosely upon the bolt 14 andbearing against the nut 15. The rear end of the brace 22 is connected tothe portion 18 by a clamping bolt 23. The lamp post 24' is inserteddownwardly through the forward end of the arm 11 and has a shoulder 25resting upon the arm, there being a spacing collar 26 under the arm 11,and the reduced portion 27 of the post extends downwardly through thespacing collar 26 and through the brace 22, and a nut 28 is placed uponthe lower end of the post to clamp the brace 22 against the spacingcollar 26 and clamp the spacing collar against the arm 11, and the arm11 against the shoulder 25 so as to make the lamp post rigid; so that byloosen ing the nut 28 the lamp 29 may be turned upon the Vertical axisas desired to throw the light to the center of the road at a properdistance in front of the vehicle, and so that the lamp may be held inits adjusted position by tightening the nut 28.

The link 30 connects the rear ends of the portions 21. The bracket 5 hasan extensionportion 31 extending beyond the link 30, and a draw bar 32has a bent end 33 inserted downwardly through the portion 31.

The ends of the link 30 are bent at right angles and inserted downwardlythrough the portions 21. Springs 34 and 35 are placed upon the end ofthe draw bar 32 below the portion 31 and upon the end of the link 30below the portions 21. Washers 36 and 37 are placed against the springs,and

cotters 38 and 39 are inserted below the washers, the tensions of thesprings being exerted to hold the parts from rattling.

The draw bar 32 is connected to the steering post shaft 40, as shown inFigs. 5 and 6. The steering post shaft has a crank 41 extending at rightangles to the body of the shaft, and a bearing ball L2 extending fromthe lower end of the crank ll. The regular draw bar %3 of the steeringgear is connected to the socket plate a l fitting half way around theball 1-2, and a second socket plate 4&5 fits against the other side ofthe ball and is secured to the first socket plate a l by bolts l6 and47. place a supplemental plate 48 against the plate so d then replacethe bolts l6 and 47, or ibstitute longer bolts.

An ear-e9 extends from the plate lS and the end of the draw 'bar isinserted loosely through the ear l9. A spring seat 50 in the form ofwasher olaced upon the draw bar 32, a cotter 51 is inserted through thei draw bar outside of the spring seat, a spring 52 is placed against thespringseat, a concave-convex washer is placed against the spring and thedraw bar 32 is inserted through the ear a9 with the convex side of thewasher against the car. A second concavo-convex drawbar against theother side of the ear a9, a second spring is placed against the washer5a, a second sprin seat 56 is placed against the spring 55, and a secondcotter 57 is inserted through the draw bar 32 so as to effectuallyconnect the draw bar 32 to be operated by the operation of the steeringpost shaft 40, and so as to make a yielding connection between thesteering gear of the vehicle :nd the lamps so that the vibration of thewheels will not vibrate the lamps.

The ear e9. preferably has a slot 58,'and

a hanger 59 extends downwardly from the frame bar 60, and the hanger 59has a slot G1, so that when desired the draw bar 32 may be raised out ofthe slot 58 and raised and insertedinto the slot 61 so as to operate theautomobile without the dirigi'ble feature of the headlights.

Thus I have produced a dirigible headlightv for Ford automobiles inwhich the headlights may oe accurately adjusted to center to and fromthe center of the broad, and in which there is a yielding connectionbetween the steering gear and the headlight, so that the vibration orwabble of the front 4 parting from the spirit of my invention asclaimed.

I remove the bolts L6 and 47 and washer 5% is placed upon the I claim:7 1. In combination with a vehicle having a front wheel steeringapparatus, lamp brackets fixed to the vehicle frame, arms disposedacross the tops of the brackets and extending forwardly and backwardlytherefrom, the backwardly extending portions being'bent downwardly,brace members disposed across below the lamp brackets and extendingforwardly and backwardly therefrom, the backwardly extending portionsbeing fixed to the arms, vthe forwardly extending portions being spacedfrom the for wardly extending portions of the arms and carrying,together with the arms, vertically disposed lampholders, said arms andbraces being adapted to be pivotally connected with the bracket byvertical pins, a tie rod connecting the two arms whereby the arms willbe caused to move in unison, and a reach arms, the forwardly extendingportions being spaced from the forwardly extending portions of the armsand carrying together with the arms a vertically disposed lamp holder,saidarms and braces being adapted to be. pivotally connected with thebrackets by vertical'pins, a tie rod connecting the two arms whereby thearmsiw'ill be caused to move innnison, a reach rod connected with one ofthe arms and flexibly connecting, with a detachable joint, to thesteering knuckle of the steering apparatus, and means for connecting thereach rodwhen detached from the steering knuckle to a stationary partofthe vehicle whereby the lamps may :be held stationary.

Intestimony vwhereof I have signed my 7 name to this specification;v

FRANK; sPoNo.

